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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. scale — in music
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lie — to recline
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rush — hurry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stock — goods
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. firm — decided
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com